College Football Week 5: Games to Watch

Thursday, September 29

UCONN Huskies 2-2 (0-1 AAC) at #6 Houston Cougars 4-0 (1-0 AAC) @ 7 p.m. (CT) on ESPN

In their last 19 contests, the Houston Cougars have lost only once. That three point loss came last November to the UCONN Huskies. That game was in Connecticut, with star Cougars QB Greg Ward Jr sidelined with a bum ankle. A chance at revenge now comes in Houston with a healthy Ward Jr.

Kansas Jayhawks 1-2 at Texas Tech Red Raiders 2-1 @ 7:30 p.m. (CT) on Fox Sports 1

Well, it finally happened. They’d been flirting with it for 15 years, but Texas Tech has finally abandoned all pretense of even trying to play defense. With good reason though. After all the years of Air Raid stat stuffing, the Red Raiders now armed with QB Pat Mahomes have turbo charged an already potent offense. Weirdly, in four of the last five seasons, even as ghastly as they've been, the Jayhawks have been very game against the Red Raiders.

Friday, September 30

#7 Stanford Cardinal 3-0 (2-0 Pac 12) at #10 Washington Huskies 4-0 (1-0) @ 8 p.m. (CT) on ESPN

Former Boise State coach Chris Petersen, in his third year as Huskies coach, has students and fans of UW dreaming of a return to national prominence. The Huskies are enjoying their highest spot in the polls since 2002. Christian McCaffrey and Stanford presents Washington's first real test of the season.

Saturday, October 1

#22 Texas Longhorns 2-1 at Oklahoma State Cowboys 2-2 (0-1 Big 12) 11 a.m. (CT) on ABC

Just another defense free Saturday in the Big 12 Conference. Remember when the Longhorns were gifted a Top 10 spot by AP voters and Austin was scheduling a parade after Texas beat Notre Dame?

#11 Tennessee Volunteers 4-0 (1-0 SEC) at #25 Georgia Bulldogs 3-1 (1-1 SEC) @ 2:30 p.m. (CT) on CBS

Tennessee finally got over the Florida hump, beating the Gators for the first time in 12 years. Can they keep it going on the road in Athens?

North Carolina Tar Heels 3-1 (1-0 ACC) at #12 Florida State Seminoles 3-1 (0-1 ACC) @ 2:30 p.m. (CT) on ESPN

Last season Larry Fedora's Tar Heels dropped their first game of the season before riding an 11 game win streak into the ACC title game. After losing their opener this year, the Tar Heels have won their last three.

#8 Wisconsin Badgers 4-0 (1-0 Big 10) at #4 Michigan Wolverines 4-0 (1-0 Big 10) @ 2:30 p.m. (CT) on ABC

Last week the Badgers entered the murderers' row of their schedule in which they were set to face then #8 Michigan State on the road, #4 Michigan on the road this week, and #2 Ohio State next week. The Badgers' first stop on their tour of Michigan ended in a beat down of the Spartans. A win over Harbaugh's Wolverines and these Badgers may look more like a College Football Playoff dark horse.

Kansas State Wildcats 2-1 at West Virginia Mountaineers 3-0 @ 2:30 p.m. (CT) on ESPNU

West Virginia's solid start goes up against a K-State defense that has looked salty as hell so far this season. That's an alien entity in the Big 12 these days.

Oklahoma Sooners 1-2 at #21 TCU Horned Frogs 2-1 (1-0 Big 12) @ 4 p.m. (CT) on Fox

The Sooners' National Title hopes may be crippled, but their run at a repeat Big 12 championship begins this Saturday in Fort Worth.

#18 Utah Utes 4-0 (1-0 Pac 12) at Cal Golden Bears 2-2 (0-1 Pac 12) @ 5 p.m. (CT) on the Pac 12 Network

Utah is quietly working their way up the polls in a Pac 12 South Division that seems ripe for their taking. Standing in their way is a Cal team that posts 50 point games even in losing efforts.

Missouri Tigers 2-2 (0-1) at LSU Tigers 2-2 (1-1) @ 6:30 p.m. (CT) on SEC Network

This marks the first game of the post Les Miles era down in Baton Rouge.

#3 Louisville Cardinals 4-0 (2-0 ACC) at #5 Clemson Tigers 4-0 (1-0 ACC) @ 7 p.m. (CT) on ABC

Lamar Jackson and Deshaun Watson - this is must see TV right here. The game of the year - up to this point - pits two of the nation's most elite and dynamic quarterbacks against each other in a game that could have national title and Heisman Trophy implications.